Section 1330.770  Centralized Prescription Filling

Pharmacies providing centralized prescription filling, as provided in Section 25.5 of the Act, shall:

a)         Share a common electronic file to allow access to sufficient information necessary or required to fill or refill a prescription order.

b)         Maintain appropriate records to identify the responsible pharmacist in the dispensing process.

c)         Maintain a mechanism for tracking the prescription drug order during each step in the process.

d)         Pharmacies that engage in central fill pharmacy practice shall, in addition to any other requirements of the Act and this Part, comply with this Section.

e)         For the purpose of this Section, the following definitions apply:

1)         "Central Fill Pharmacy" means a pharmacy that prepares prescription drug orders for dispensing for one or more originating pharmacies.

2)         "Originating Pharmacy" means a pharmacy wherein the prescription which will be filled by the central fill pharmacy is initially presented, entered into a computer system, data reviewed, and drug utilization review is completed.

f)         A pharmacy may outsource prescription drug order dispensing to a central fill pharmacy provided the pharmacies:

1)         Have the same owner or have a written contract which outlines the services to be provided, the responsibilities and accountabilities of each pharmacy, and the manner in which the pharmacies will comply with federal and state laws, rules, and regulations; and

2)         Share a common electronic file or have appropriate technology to allow access to sufficient information necessary or required to dispense or process a prescription drug order.

g)         Policies and Procedures. A policy and procedure manual as it relates to centralized filling shall be maintained at both the originating and central fill pharmacies and be available for inspection.  The manual shall:

1)         Outline the responsibilities of each of the pharmacies;

2)         Include a list of the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and all license/registration numbers of the pharmacies involved in centralized prescription dispensing;

3)         Designate the types of medications that may and may not be filled by the central fill pharmacy; and

4)         Include policies and procedures for:

A)        Notification to patients;

B)        Protecting the confidentiality and integrity of patient information;

C)        Communicating orders from the originating pharmacy to the central fill pharmacy;

D)        Dispensing prescription drug orders when the dispensed order is not received or the patient comes in before the order is received;

E)        Complying with federal and state laws and regulations;

F)         Operating a continuous quality improvement program for pharmacy services designed to objectively and systematically monitor and evaluate the quality and appropriateness of patient care, pursue opportunities to improve patient care, and resolve identified problems;

G)        Annually reviewing the written policies and procedures and documenting such review; and

H)        Process and documentation for return of product to the central fill pharmacy from the originating pharmacy.  No drug delivered directly to the patient may be returned except in cases where a medication error has occurred.

h)         Recordkeeping

1)         Each pharmacy shall comply with all the laws and rules relating to the maintenance of records and be able to produce an audit trail identifying the responsible pharmacist in the dispensing process and all prescriptions dispensed by the pharmacy.

2)         The originating pharmacy shall maintain records, in addition to the prescription drug order, which indicate:

A)        The date the request for dispensing was transmitted to the central fill pharmacy;

B)        The date the dispensed prescription was received by the originating pharmacy, including the method of delivery and the name of the person accepting delivery;

C)        Name, address, license number, and the unique identifier of the central fill pharmacy;

D)        Date prescription was returned to the central fill pharmacy.

3)         The central fill pharmacy shall maintain records, in addition to the prescription drug order, which indicate:

A)        The date the prescription was shipped to the originating pharmacy or the patient;

B)        Name and address where the prescription was shipped;

C)        Method of delivery;

D)        Name, address, and license number of originating pharmacy;

E)        Date of receipt of returned product.

i)          Delivery of Medications

1)         A community central fill pharmacy may deliver medications for an originating pharmacy to the patient or patient's agent under the following conditions:

A)        The pharmacies are under the same ownership or have a written contract specifying the services to be provided by each pharmacy, including delivery services to the patient or patient's agent;

B)        The pharmacies shall have a pharmacist available a minimum of 40 hours per week, either in person or via telephone, to provide patient counseling;

C)        The pharmacies shall include a telephone number that allows the patient to reach a pharmacist for the purposes of counseling.  The telephone number shall not incur a cost to the caller; and

D)        The central fill pharmacy shall only deliver via carrier to the patient or patient's agent those medications which could have been delivered via carrier by the originating pharmacy;

2)         An institutional central fill pharmacy may only deliver medications to the originating pharmacy.

j)          The originating pharmacy is responsible for the patient consultation and transfer requirements.

k)         Nothing in this Section shall be construed as requiring a nonresident pharmacy that outsources drug order dispensing to a central fill pharmacy to hold an Illinois pharmacy license, provided that the nonresident pharmacy does not physically ship, mail or deliver prescription drugs or device directly to a patient or patient's agent in this state.

(Source:  Amended at 50 Ill. Reg. 610, effective December 30, 2025)